Mail-bag



N- PEERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTUN. D. C;

UNITED STATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

RICHARD GORNALL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MAIL-BAG.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,916, dated May 10, 1859'.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, RICHARD GORNALL, o the 'city and county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful. Improvement in Mail-Bags; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a horizontal section in the line w, of Fig. 4. Fig. 2, is a vertical section in the line y, y, in Fig. 4. Fig. 3, is a vertical transverse section of the mail bag with its mouth open. Fig. 4, is al vertical transverse section of the same with its mouth closed.

Similar letters of reference, in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists in the combination witha mail bag, of the peculiar fastening hereinafter described.

To enable others, skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, represents the mail bag, it is of ordinary construction except so far as the form of its mouth is changed in order to apply my invention.

B, B, are metal plates fastened to the back jaw C, of the mouth. These plates extend from the edges of the bag and nearly meet at the center of the same and terminate at their upper edge in nearly complete tubes D, D, which overhang the mouth of the bag except at the center of its width, as shown in the drawing. E, is a staple inserted in one ofthe plates at'one end.

F, is the front jaw of the bag. This jaw is constructed with a circular socket G,

which extends from one edge of the bag to` I, is a hasp hinged to one end of the rod H.

The mail bag constructed as described is fastened in the following manner. The letters are introduced through the mouth while the same is open as shown in Fig. 3, and the front jaw is forced up against the back jaw and through the longitudinal openings of the nearly complete tubes D, D, as shown in Fig. 4. The jointed rod is then inserted into the socket Gr, of the bag by being introduced at the open end b, of the socket and run therefrom to the closed end c. This being done, its hasp is moved round and forced over the staple and confined by means of a lock, as shown in the drawing. The bag thus fastened cannot possibly be opened at the mouth unless by being rst unlocked, owing to the rod or bolt H, expanding the socket and causing the sides of the same to bind against the nearly complete tube, and also owing to the rod or bolt being larger in diameter than the longitudinal openings of the nearly complete tubes D, D. It will also be observed that the bag can be bent at the center of its width in any direction, as the rod or bolt is furnished with a universal joint, and a space exists between the plates and tubes, said space being occupied by the fiexile material of which the bag is comose p What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment with a mail bag constructed with a socket Gr, and furnished with a lock or other safe fastening, of the plates B, B, which terminate in nearly complete tubes D, D, and with the jointed rod or bolt H, provided with a hasp or other similar attachment substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

The above specification of my improvement in mail bag fastenings signed by me this 9th day of April 1859.

RD. GORNALL.

Witnesses:

G. YoRKE AT LEE, H. H. YOUNG. 

